Airman Dies In Vietnam

Army 1st Lt. Morton E. Townes Jr. 24, son of retired Brig. Gen. M. E. Townes of 3622 Pebble Beach, was killed Saturday while on an observation patrol in Vietnam, relatives here learned Monday.
Townes, who had been in the Army more than four years, was assigned to Vietnam in Oct. 1966.
He attended Texas A&M University and West Point Prep School and graduated second in his class at officers candidate school in Fort Sill, Okla.
Other survivors include wife and two sons, Mike Townes and Scott Townes all of Winter Park, Fla.
Funeral services were still pending Tuesday.

The Carrollton Chronicle - Thursday 9, 1967
Submitted by Edward Lynn Williams

Local General's Son Decorated for Valor Posthumously

1st Lt. Morton Townes, Jr., who was killed in action three months ago in South Vietnam, was decorated posthumously recently at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio.

Accepting a Silver Star and Purple Heart was the lieutenant's widow, Margaret Ann. The presentation was made by Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Dunn, commander of the Fourth Army.

Lieutenant Townes was the son of Brig. Gen. (retired) and Mrs. Morton E. Townes of 3622 Pebble Beach Drive, Farmers Branch.

The young lieutenant was killed after he and his American companions, and South Vietnamese troops fighting with them, came under attack by the Viet Cong.

The citation for the Silver Star, the nation's third highest award for valor, red in part:

"He and his observation party were on patrol as part of a larger force when an artillery round eas exploded against the party as it approached an enemy position.

"Lieutenant Townes, with complete disregard for his own welfare, concerned himself solely with obtaining medical attention for those of his party who were wounded. Although suffering from a severe leg wound himself, he made his way to the radio, and finding it still operational, called to his unit to inform it that the party had been hit."

The gravely wounded lieutenant worked the radio for almost half an hour under the enemy attack to call in helicopters to carry out the dead, the dying and wounded.

"His efforts," the citation read, "were directly responsible for saving the lives of several South Vietnamese, who were part of the friendly force participating in the operation."

Mrs. Townes said that her husband and five other Americans alongside the South Vietnamese were killed in the battle which took the lieutenant's life.

"They were the only Americans with the unit out there," she said.

Lieutenant Townes was a career man in the Army. He joined five years ago after attending Texas A&M University and Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala.

He had been in South Vietnam since last October.

"Back in December he was presented the Vietnamese Paratroop Wings and he was really proud of those," Mrs. Townes said. "They are hard to earn, you know."

The lieutenant was a forward observer with the 30th U.S. Artillery when he was killed.

In addition to his wife, the lieutenant is survived by two young sons, Michael, 2, and Scott, 9 months  old, and his parents.

The Carrollton Chronicle - Thursday, May 11, 1967
Submitted by Edward Lynn Williams